Sapphire grinding means



3 Sheets-Sheet l F. L. CAPPS SAPPHIRE GRINDING MEANS Filed Jan. 13, 1959July 15, 1941.

INVENTOR I FRANK I... CAPPS.

ATTORNEY FIG. 2.

July 15, 1941-. L. CAPPS I v I 3 SAPPHIRE GRINDING MEANS Filed Jan. 13,1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4O\ f W INVENTOR FIG. 4

FRANK 1.. CAPPS. BY I I ATTORNEY July 15, 1941. c p 'g SAPPHIR GRINDINGMEANS Filed Jan. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5

. INVENTOR. FRANK l... CAPPS.

Patented July 15, 1941 ha-UNITED S E A T OFF-ICE sArPHmE GRINDING MEANSFrank L. .Capps, New York, N. Y. Application January 13, 1939, SerialNo. 250,668

. aim- This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the artof sound recording and has particular relation to' a means and method ofautomatically grinding into cylindrical shapes sapphires which arepolygonal" in transverse section ancl which are to bemad-einto soundrecording Styli.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken in connection'with the accompanying drawings wherein a'satisfactory embodiment of'theinvention is shown. However, it is to be understood .that theinventionis not limited to the details disclosed butincludes all such variationsand modifi'cations as fall within the spirit of the invention and thescope of'the appended claims.

In the drawingst Fig. 1 is a front elevational'view of a machine madeinaccordance with the invention; 7 v s Fig. 2 is a side elevational viewof said machine; the view being taken lookingfrom' the fi n si I Fig. 3is atop plan view of themachine;

Fig. 4 is aside elevationalview of the machine, the view being tak en aslooking from the left inFigl;

' Figp5 -is'a detail elevational view "showing a -mountingdevice'employed; I

' j Fig. 6 i'sa view taken at right angles to Fig.'5 and showing themeans mounted by the device of Fig. 5;

Fig.7 is an enlarged plan view showing a portion of the grinding wheeland certain parts associated therewith;

Fig. 8 is a detail view onan enlarged scale showing the mounting of aleveremployed;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged front elevational view of a portion of themachine;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken as along gularly relatedportions i5 and I6 and also carryinga pair of spacedarms I] and l8. Arms.A pulley 4| on a shaft .42,- mounted in the'bearings l9 and 2D,hastrained thereover a belt 43 designated 49 and. shown best in Figs. 5 and6. The device '49 includes a plate like portion 50 such portions grip-or clamp the member.

through the'slot 2! and equipped with a securing nut 24. Bracket 22includes vertical arms 25 and 25 at their upperends having splitbearing-like portions 21 and 28 secured together as byscrews 29.Portions?! and'28 support a shaftlike member 30 and hold the sameagainst movement when the screws 29 are'tightened to have Obviously thebraclretZZ together with its bearinglike portions 21 and 28 isadjustable along the extension I5. i

A bracket-like member 3lis also secured to the extension 15, a bolt 32passing through the slot-2 l together with a nut 33 on the lower end ofsaid'bolt serving 'to secure the member I in the desired-position on theextension. Meman upper portion of Which'is supported a water or otherliquid container 35. The container is secured to the rod by means of adevice 36 having one end portion clamped about the rod by a means '31."and having" its other endportion 38 comprisinga-rest for the container.

Mounted. on the base 10 is an electric motor .39 having a pulley,secured to the shaft thereof.

which ,belt is also trained over the pulley 40 whereby, the shaft 42 isdriven bythe motor 39.

rod 34 has passing therethrough a threaded stud 48 carryinga, shaftsupporting device generally tdwhich the stud 48- is attached and suchportioncarries a. pair of parts 5| and 52 into the outer or free ends ofwhich isthreaded a screw 53 adapted when tightened to; draw such partstoward one another. A tube 54 passes between .the parts 5| and 52 andwhen the screw 53 .is

tightened such tubeis clampingly held. On the member between theplate-like por- .tion-50 and the rod 34'is a part 55 including aplateelike' portion 56 facing the portion ,50. The arrangement is suchthat on loosening of ailnut 51 onthe stud 48 the device 49' may berotated with the stud as 'an axis. However, this .driving relation withthe worm 6 I.

roller 59 is being driven when ever the grinding is for the purpose ofadjustment only and when the parts have been adjusted as willhereinafter appear the nut is tightened and remains in that condition.

Passing through and rotatable in the tube 54 is a shaft 58 carrying aroller 59 of rubber or other frictional material. The roller is securedto the forward end of the shaft 58 and to the rear end of such shaft issecured a worm gear 60 meshing with a worm 6I, theworm and worm gearbeing enclosed in a casing 62. Since the device 49 may be adjusted onloosening of screw 48 and as the shaft 58 is movable with the de-' N thepurpose of such cooperation the roller is rotated in a directiontransverse or across-the direction of rotation of the wheel. A bracketmem- .ber 63 extends forwardly from the upright I4 i and carries apulley 64 and a shaft 65 on which the pulley issecured. Trained over thepulley '64 and the pulley 45 on the shaft 42 is a belt 66 w hereby theshaft 6-5 is driven from the shaft 42. Attached to shaft 65 is, one endof a fiexible shaft 61 the other end of which is connected in Thus thewheel 46 is rotating.

Mounted on the extension l6 of the support I I is a gear box 68containing a reduction gearing (not shown) including a pair of shafts 69and I0. Secured to the shaft 69 is a pulley II over which shaft 42 andmounted on the shaft 30, to turn thereabout, is a bracket I4 including ablock or arm I5 having a tubular projection I6. (see Fig, 8) concentricwith said shaft. An L-shaped lever having portions TI and I8 ismounted'on the pro- .jection I6 but is not secured thereto althoughhaving a friction fit thereon. The lever portion I'I mounts a pin I9carrying a roller 19a cooperating with the cam "I3 whereby the lever isrocked about theshaft 30 at predetermined times as will appear. a

. Lever arm 18 extends longitudinally of the block I5 and has an arcuateslot therein through which extends a set screw. 8I threaded into theblock. With this arrangement on loosening of the set screw the lever maybe adjusted relative to block I5 and shaft 30 after which the screw'willbe tightened. A coil spring 82 secured at its upper end to a pin 83 onthe lever arm I1 has its lower end secured to the supporting struc- IIand serves to maintain the roller 19a action on any sapphire held in thegroove while the wheel is rotating. A sapphire to be ground is arrangedin the groove to extend longitudinally thereof as shown by the sapphire81 in Fig. 7.

A plate 88 including a hardened hook-like portion 89 is secured on theouter end of block I5. In the machine the block I5 extends at the sideof the grinding wheel 46 and the relation of the parts is such that thehook-like portion 89 extends overthe groove 86 of the wheel. Thereforewhen a sapphire is placed in the groove (as by being passed through thebifurcation in the guide means, later to be described), the rotation ofthe wheel carries the sapphire with the wheel until the lower or forwardend of the sapphire engages the extreme end of said portion or stopmeans 89 after which further movement of the sapphire with the wheel iscontrolled until the sapphire is released as will appear.

Attention is directed to the fact that the outside wall of the groove 86is of somewhat less height than the inner wall thereof. The wheel 46rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow 90 (Figs. 2 and4) whilethe roller 59 rotates in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow 9|(Figs. 1. and 3). During grinding of a sapphire the roller 59 is beingrotated and is in engagement with the sapphire. Therefore as the wheel46 carries the sapphire against the stop or limit- 7 ing device 89 theroller 59 is bodily rotating the sapphire and the action of the rollertends to move the sapphire toward the inner wall of the groove.Therefore as the wheel 46 is rotating under the sapphire and the latteris being rotated about its longitudinal axis by the roller 59 it will beclear that the sapphire will be subjected to a grinding action on allits sides and will be ground into a cylindrical shape.

A suitable liquid, as water, to Wash away cut material and preventclogging of the grinding wheel is supplied to the wheel during agrinding operation. For this purpose a tube 92 is connected with thecontainer 35 to receive liquid therefrom and the tube delivers theliquid to the grinding wheel in the vicinity of the roller 59. The flowof the liquid is controlled by the setting of a valve 93 and preferablythe liquid is fed I drop by drop or in a very thin stream. A guide 94may be mounted as by having a portion 95 thereof secured to the top ofthe gear box 68 and the guide includes a bifurcated portion 96 arrangedover the wheel 46 and with the opening through such portion 96 arrangedover the groove of the wheel. With this arrangement sapphires may be fedto the groove 86 through the opening in the guide portion 96.

Bracket I4 includes an extension 91 having a leg-like portion 98 mountedto turn on the outer end portion of the shaft 30. Fixed to theshaft 30at the inner side of the member 21 is a collar IOI having a pin I02extending radially therefrom. Adjacent said collar ablock I03 ismountedon said shaft to turn thereabout and such block carries a pin I04 at itsouter end and a pin I05 intermediate its ends. A coil spring I06 has itsrespective ends connected with the pins I02 and I04 and constantly tendsto draw said pins toward one "another and'thus to move the block I03 in'a counterclockwise direction about the shaft 30.

Fixed to the outer end of the block. I03 is an arm I01, the arm beingsecured tothe block as by screws I08, andsaid arm includes an upstandingportion I09 extending along the side of the block 15 and at its upperend carrying a tubelike part I I0. Part I I is aligned with the groove"86 of the. grinding wheel when the parts are as in Figs. 7 and 9 andthe function of such part will later appear.

. "It is noted that the arm III of the bifurcated portion of the guide94 is somewhat shorter than -the other arm of such portion. Thisarrange- .ment is provided since if a sapphire fed to the wheel is ofunusual diameter or of oddshape it may become embedded in the surface ofthe roller 59 and be carried out"of the groove-186' by the roller duringrotation of the latter. Should this happen the sapphire will not bescraped off the roller by the guide arm I I I but will be again carriedintothe groove by the roller-and-berscraped therefrom by the inner wallof the groove and thus returned to the groove for grinding;

Cam I3 includes three finger-like portions ;I I2,'

. U3 and I I4 equally spaced and arranged radially -with respectto theshaft I8 mounting the eam. The body of the cam between the finger-likeportions thereof has three'slightly inclined surfaces II5, IIB and I I!inclining respectively from the portion II2 to the portion ,I I3, fromthe portion II3 to the portion H4 and from the portion II4 to' theportion .I I2." The cam is rotated in the direction indicated by thearrow I I8 in Fig. 2 and obviously the roller ISa is in said figureagainst the lowest part of the cam surfacerportion II5. With the partsin the indicated positions the stop 89 is partly within the groove 86 inthe ,wheel 46 and any sapphire (as the sapphire '8! of Fig. 7') withinthe groove will have its lower or forward end against the stop 89. Thusas the grinding wheel is rotating in the direction above indicated itwill tend to carry the sapphire-with it and to v throw "the sapphireout'of the groove. The stop 89 keeps the sapphire from moving with thewheel and the roller '58 prevents the wheel from throwing the sapphireout of the groove as the wheel revolves. When the roller 19a. an'd'thecam; I 3 are related as shown thestop is in its uppermost position andmaintains thesapphire in position under-the upper edge portion of theroller 59 as seen in Fig. 'l w'herein the roller isshown in dottedlines.

{is the grinding operation proceeds, a sapphire having been placed inthe groove 86, the-cam I3 is m'oving and as it progresses the roller 19ais gradually raised and the-1evercomprising the arms 11 and I8 is rockedabout the shaft 38 movfinger-like cam portions H2, H3 and H4 engages theroller 19a rocking the same sharply outwardly with the result that thelever portions 1! and I8 are rocked in like manner and carry the blockI5 and the stop 89 with them permitting the ground sapphire to then movebodily with the wheel 46 and the latter throws the sapphire downwardlyand outwardly and the sapphire passes into the tube I I8. Thereafter thesapphire is to be sharpened for use in sound recording or in any otherconnection as desired.

Thus while the sapphires are fed to the machine one at a time by hand orotherwise, the cam I3 having three fingers the stop 89 is moved fromcooperating relation with the wheel or the groove of the wheel threetimes during each complete revolution of the cam. Obviously the numberof finger-like portions on the cam will depend on the speed of rotationof the cam and the relation of such speed to the speed of rotation ofthe other parts of the machine, 4 I v ;On-lo osen.ing; of nut 51theroller 59 maybe swung toanout of, the, way position as shown by thedotted lines-in Fig. 2. Arm I8! may move independent of any movement ofthe bracket I4 when the arm is moved away from the block I5 but theconstant tendency of the spring I06 is to keep thearm I01 inpositionwith the tube IllI .adiacentthe l late 88. Asthe cam acts tomove jthe bracket 14 and the plate 8:8 with stop 89 downwardly the blockI5 willengage arm portion 109 andjcause. the tube III] to be, moveddown- -wardly against the action of the spring I06. Pin :lll5 carriedby. the. block I03 is a stop or limiting .device as when such pinengages the pin I02 on loosening of thezscrews 29 in the bearing-like.members 21 and 28 theshaft 30 and the entire assembly thereon may beadjusted relative to the wheel-4 6 and guide 94. The slotBD in the leverarm Iii provides for adjustment of the lever relative to the block I5and to the shaft .38 whereby .to have'the cam I3 move the stop 89 indesired relation to the roller 59 whereby to have the sapphireproperly.;pr esented to the grinding -,flc .T In the modification shownin Fig. 12 the grinding wheel is designated I28 and'has, a cornerportion of its periphery removed providing what is best described asanannularnotch. I.2I to receive thesapphirel'lz to beground. Thesapphire will be engaged and rotated by the roller I 23. It isto beunderstood thatwheel I20 may replace wheel 46 above described andthatroller I23 is the same as the roller 59 previously described. While.notch I2I is not a true groove as is the groove 86 in wheel'AIi yet thepurpose is, the samein each instance and the word groovej as used in thefollowing claims is intended; to cover the construction of Fig. 12 as'well as that of the other figures and such word isnot' to b e read aslimiting the claims to a construction embodying a true groove.

Havin'gthus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for grinding sapphires for use in the making ofsoundrecording styli, a grindingwheel, means for rotatingsaid wheel,said wheel having a groove therein of a width greater than the diameterof a sapphire to partly receive the sapphire to be ground, a stop toprevent bodily movement of the sapphire with the wheel, means for bodilyrotating the sapphire in said groove in a direction substantiallytransverse to the direction of rotation of the wheel, a movable supportmounting said stop for movement of the latter into and out of stoppingrelation with the sapphire in the groove, and means for moving saidsupport to carry the stop out of stopping relation with a sapphire insaid groove on completion of the grinding of said sapphire.

2. In amachine for grinding sapphires for use in the making of soundrecording styli, a grinding wheel, means for rotating said wheel, saidwheel having a groove therein to partly receive a sapphire to be ground,a stop to prevent bodily movement of the sapphire with the wheel, meansfor rotating the sapphire in said groove in a direction transverse tothe direction of rotation of said wheel, a movable support mounting saidstop for movement of the latter into and out of stopping relation withthe sapphire in the groove, and cam means for periodically movingsaid'support to carry the stop out of stopping relation with thesapphire in said groove.-

3. In a machine for grinding sapphires for use in the making of soundrecording styli, a grinding wheel, means for rotating said wheel, saidwheel having a groove therein to partly receive a sapphire to be ground,a stop to prevent bodily 1O movement of the sapphire with the wheel,-means for bodily rotating the sapphire in said-groove i'n'a directiontransverse to the direction of --rotation of the wheel, a movablesupport mounting said stop, a spring normally urging said support 15into position disposing said stop in stoppingrelation with a sapphire insaid groove, and means including cam means for moving said supporttocarry the stop out of said stopping relation on completion of thegrinding of a sapphire. 20

4. In a machine for grinding sapphires for use in the making of soundrecording styli, a grinding wheel, means for rotating said wheel, saidWheel having a groove therein to partly receive asapphire to be ground,a stop to prevent bodily .j25 movement of the sapphire with the wheel,means for bodily rotating the sapphirein said groove in 'a directiontransverse to the direction of rotation of the wheel, a movable supportmounting said stop, a spring normally urging said support into .30 aposition disposing said stop in stopping'relation to a sapphire Withinsaid groove, means for moving said support to carry the stop out of saidstopping relation on completion of the grinding of the sapphire, andsaid last meansincluding 5 a cam driven in timed relation to saidgrinding wheel.

5. In a machine of the character-describedya grinding wheel having agroove to receive a grinding wheel having a groove in its peripherialedge, a guard extending partly over said wheel and including a portionhaving a slot in alignment with said groove and throughiwhich-sap- -55phiresmay be fed into the groove, a roller for engaging a sapphire insaid groove and rotating such sapphire about its own longitudinal axis,said groove having a high side wall and said guard having anopening inits side portion remote from said wall, and means rotating said -rollerin a' direction to carry its sapphire engaging-portion toward said wallwhereby should a sapphire become embedded in the roller it will becarried about with the roller and through such opening in the guard andback into the groove to be scraped from the roller by' said high groove'Wall. I

- 7. In a. machine of the character described, a shaft, a grinding wheelon said shaft, a movable stop associated with said wheel for engagementby a sapphire to be ground and adapted to hold the sapphire againstmovement with the wheel, a roller mounted for engagement with a sapphire.held by said stop for bodily rotating said sapphire on the wheel, meansfor rotating said shaft, means for rotating said roller from said shaft,a cam for. periodically moving said stop out of stopping relation with asapphire on said wheel,

and means driving said cam from said shaft.

8. In a machine of the character described, a shaft,'a grinding wheel onsaid shaft, a movable stop associated with said wheel for engagement .bya sapphire to be ground and adapted to hold the'sapphireagainst movementwith the wheel, a'roller mounted for engagement with a sapphire heldbysaid stop for bodily rotating such sapphire on the wheel, means forrotating said shaft, means for rotating said roller from said shaft, acam for periodically moving said stop out of stopping relation with asapphire on said wheel, a spring for moving said stop back to positionon release by said cam, means driving said cam from said shaft, and aspeed reduction gearing in said last drive means.

9. In a machine of the character described, a grinding wheel having agroove to receive a sapphire to be ground, a stop means for limitingmovement of a sapphire with the wheel and holding such sapphire ingrinding position in said groove, a roller for engaging and rotating asapphire about its own longitudinal axis while in saidgrinding'position, means mounting said stop, a cam engaging said meansand operable through the same to move said stop and permit the wheel'tocarry the sapphire out of grinding position, means for operating saidcam in predetermined relation, and an adjustable means whereby suchtimed relation may be varied.

- FRANK L. CAPPS.

